1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to information management generally, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for managing information relating to a fixed wireless communications service provider.
2. Discussion of the Background
In many areas, high data rate telecommunications services such as T1 lines and other broadband data services are not readily available. In such an area, a customer desiring high data rate service is often required by the local telephone company to pay a special construction fee and/or sign a long term contract in order to obtain the service. Fixed wireless communications services can provide a competitive alternative to wired high data rate service in these and other situations, both in terms of cost and of the time required for the commencement of services once they have been ordered. In other areas, high data rate service is not available, leaving wireless service as the only alternative.
Providing fixed wireless services involves a different set of problems as compared to providing wired services or mobile wireless services. In order to provide wireless service to a potential customer, two distinct hurdles must be overcome. The first hurdle involves securing the legal rights to install the requisite wireless infrastructure. As used herein, wireless infrastructure means the physical devices that must be installed at that customer's site in order to provide wireless communications services to a customer. Wireless infrastructure typically includes an antenna, wiring and routers/switches between the customer and the antenna. Antennas usually must be installed somewhere on the exterior of a building, typically the roof. Obtaining the permission of the owner of a building to install the antenna and run wire from the antenna to the customer can be a difficult issue when the owner of the building is not the potential customer. While some building owners freely give permission to install antennas, others will not under any circumstances while yet others will allow the installation for a price. In addition to obtaining permission from the building owner, local regulations and ordinances may also have an impact on the ability to install the requisite wireless infrastructure. As used herein, ‘legal rights’ encompasses all of these issues.
Even if the first hurdle, obtaining legal rights to install a wireless infrastructure for a building, can be cleared, a second hurdle remains: the wireless communications service provider must also be able to provide an acceptable signal to the wireless infrastructure. Typically, but not necessarily, this connection requires that there be a clear line of sight between the antenna installed at the customer's site and a wireless communications service provider's access point (also referred to as a hub). Given the complexity of many urban landscapes, making this determination is often not a simple matter whether or not a clear line of sight is required.
Organizing sales activity for a wireless communications system provides a unique challenge. Ideally, sales activity should be focused on those potential customers at a site for which legal rights have been or can be obtained and which can be serviced by the wireless communications service provider. However, providing this focus has proven to be difficult.
What is needed is a method and system for classifying potential customers so that sales activity can be focused on the most promising potential customers and for managing the various information associated with a wireless service provider enterprise.